Posted on 11/20/2002 8:41:36 AM PST by Callahan
Nov 20, 2002 7:46 am US/Eastern (CBS) (NEW YORK) New York City officials will fly to the Bahamas on Wednesday for a "fact-finding mission" to determine whether retired cruise ships could be used to house the growing number of homeless people, a spokesman for the Department of Homeless Services said.
"They will be looking at a couple of retired cruise ships," said the spokesman, Jim Anderson. "They will be questioning whether they would be safe and appropriate shelter space for homeless clients."
The officials, including Linda Gibbs, the city's commissioner of homeless services, are being flown to the Bahamas on the mayor's private jet. The trip is scheduled to last for a few hours.
Gibbs said the officials would be evaluating the cost-effectiveness of using cruise ships to accommodate homeless people, adding that all options must be explored.
"We can't reject any idea that's offered," Gibbs said on Tuesday night. "I think we have to be unafraid to think creatively and to explore options that maybe haven't been looked at in the past."
Homelessness in New York City is at an all-time high, with 36,000 people staying in shelters each night, according to the Coalition for the Homeless. The city is bound by law to provide free temporary shelter to those who say they have no place to live.
City officials are expected to conduct an annual census of homeless people this winter.
The city is bound by law to provide free temporary shelter to those who say they have no place to live.
The EASIEST way to make this cost effective is to change the law.
But I guess that wouldn't be compassionate, so instead we'll put a family of four in the lower depths of what passes for the cheapo inboard steerage cabin? Or will the city fathers spend even more money, gut the inside, and build two to three bedroom apartments?
This is going to be Cabrini Green with the opportunity to drown (hopefully they've thought 'bout the liability part)
Pookie & ME
Michael
No free ride, or in this case, no free berth.
sw
End of problem.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.